Sele Media Africa — Reported by Joshua Ishaku

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Soft Ground Wrestling in Africa: Empowering Women Through Sport

Across parts of Africa, a grassroots movement in wrestling is quietly revolutionizing the narrative of women in sport. Known as Soft Ground Wrestling (SGW), this unique form of mud‑ring wrestling is not only reshaping wrestling culture—it’s offering new opportunities, confidence, and visibility for female athletes.

What Is Soft Ground Wrestling?

Soft Ground Wrestling emerged in Mukono, Uganda, around 2023, founded by Daniel Bumba (alias “Bumbash”) who blended his passion for pro wrestling with resourcefulness. Without access to conventional rings, SGW organizers use mud, bamboo poles, nylon ropes, and marked lines to create impromptu “rings” on clay or muddy terrain.

Matches often incorporate scripted moves inspired by popular pro wrestling—power slams, suplexes, and dramatic finishes—but against the backdrop of grassroots infrastructure.

Over time, SGW has drawn attention beyond local boundaries. Its social media presence has exploded, with clips accumulating over 700 million views across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X, YouTube, and Facebook.

Though initially male‑dominated, SGW has progressively involved women—today, around 30 female wrestlers train and compete within its ranks.

One of the breakout talents is Lamono Evelyn, known by her ring name Zampi. Raised under financial hardship, she found strength, discipline, and a sense of belonging in wrestling:

“Before SGW, I had anger issues. I was arrogant… wrestling helped me control my anger. It changed me mentally and physically.”

Another female wrestler, Nakoba Bridget (ring name Soft Ground Musawo), was drawn in by her admiration for female WWE stars and now aspires to perform on global wrestling stages.

These women are not just symbolic participants—they actively train, perform, and compete alongside male counterparts in tag matches, intergender bouts, and specialty match formats.

These athletes demonstrate that when opportunities are created—and barriers challenged—women can excel in wrestling on African and global stages.

Why It Matters

Soft Ground Wrestling’s inclusion of women is significant on multiple levels:

1. Empowerment & Voice
   Wrestling offers women a space to express strength, resilience, and identity in a narrative historically dominated by men.
2. Skill & Confidence Building
   Through training, performance, and competition, women develop physical discipline, mental toughness, and self-belief.
3. Challenging Gender Norms
   Female wrestlers in SGW, traditional circuits, and international stages directly contest stereotypes about women, strength, and sports.

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